Sheriff's Office News

This news item expired on 4/30/2013, so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.

Postcard Promises Gift, Delivers a Scam

Several North Carolina consumers have reported getting postcards in the mail in the past month that say they’ve been “selected to receive $100 in gift rebates good at Wal-Mart, Target, and more.” Consumers are told to call a toll-free number to learn how to claim their reward.

If you call the number, you’ll be asked to provide your credit card number, supposedly to cover shipping or processing fees of $6.95 or less. But once you’ve shared your credit card number, there’s little to stop the group behind the post cards from racking up more charges on your account. Consumers who’ve fallen for the scam report being charged up to $100 at once, or finding smaller charges appear on their bill each month.

Previous scams have used emails and text messages promising a free gift card to entice you to give up your personal information.

If you get one of these postcards, don’t respond. If you’ve responded already, contact your credit card company about how to reverse or stop the charges. You can also report the scam to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or file a complaint online at www.ncdoj.gov.